Signal system.



C. W. COLEMAN, DECD.

K. COLEMAN. ADMINISTRATRIX.

SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, I908.

Q5 Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

Wiwmwg COLUMBIA FLANDGRAFH cot, WASHINGTON. n. c

c. w. COLEMAN, DECD.

K. COLEMAN. ADMINISTRATRIX.

SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I6. 1908.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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when

oLaEENeE W. coLE AN, or WEsrriELn, NEW JEEsEY; KATHERINE coLEr/faN AnMINIsTEArEIX or sarn eLAnENcE W. COLE-MAN, nEoEAsEn, ASSIGNOR ro THE HALL swnron & s-IGNAE COMPANY, A CORPORATION or MAINE.

Application filed rear 1c, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE W. COLE MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Westfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Signal Systems, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

hf}? invention relates to automatic electric block signal systems for railroads, and is designed particularly for use in connection with electric railroads, although it is applicable also to steam railroads.

One object of the invention is to produce a simple and reliable signal system for operating in connection with double-track railroads, particularly where home signals and distant signals are used in conjunction, or both home and distant indications are given, and to this end the invention comprises va'- rious features of arrangement and construction, hereinafter more I particularly described, by which the number of line wires required is reduced to a minimum and the signal-controlling apparatus is simplified.

The signal-controlling relays are energized by alternating or other periodic currents, and an important feature of the invention consists in means whereby the home and distant signals are selectively controlled'by reversing the phase of the current in the line circuit and line relay.

Another feature of the invention is a means for reducing the magnetic reluctance of the magnetic circuits surrounding the track rails at or near the termini of the signaling blocks, which acts so as to increase the effect of the track-circuit currents upon the relays or translating devices controlled by the track circuits.

More specifically, one embodiment of the foregoing broad feature of the invention is an improved arrangement used in connection with the inductive track coil by Which its efficiency is increased through theimprove'ment of the magnetic circuit about the coil and the conducting rails;

I will now describe the embodiment of Specification of Letters Patent;

Patented (Pct. so, rare. Serial No. 421,314.

my invention illustrated in the accompany ing drawings, and will thereafter point out my invention in claims.

in the drawings Figure 1 is a diagram of a signal system embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section, of a portion of a track coil and the adjacent rail.

The drawings illustrate a complete block with portions of two others, and the two signal stations illustrated are designated respectively as A and B. As the apparatus and circuits are identical at these stations similar rcference numbers are used for similar parts, but in the succeeding description the letters A and B are appended, Where necessary, to the reference numbers, to indicate the station at Which the designated part is located.

The illustrated embodimentof the invention is designed particularly for use in connection with electric railroads in which the rails are used as a portion of the circuit for the traction current, and I have employed the arrangement of continuouslybonded rails, with cross-bonds and inductive track coils at the ends of the blocks, which is disclosed in the application of Clyde J. Coleman, Serial No. 388366, filed July 12, 1907, while I employ alternating or equivalent pericdic currents for energizing the line circuits and the relays;

A double track system is illustrated, hav ing a West-bound track 1 and an east-bound track 2. The rails are bonded continuously, and at the junctures between the blocks are heavy cross bonds 3 of negligible impedance. Transmission wires iand 5, supplied by a suitable generator 10, furnish alternatin current to track-circuit transformers 6 and of which the secondaries are connected, respectively, to the west-bound and eastbound rails The transformers are located substantially at the center of each block, so that the current from each secondary is divided evenly, one-half being transmitted through one rail to the east, through the cross bond 3 at the end of the block, and back by the other rail, While the other half of the current follows a similar path in the coil is connected in the line circuit. when the field is energized by a current relays 11 and 12 which-control the line circuit at each end of the block. When a train is in any portion of the block it acts'to de energize'one or both of the track coils, since the car wheels and a-Xlesact as cross-bonds and divert the alternating currents from the ends of the track circuits, where the track coils are located, and thus the inductive action is interrupted.

The track relays 1 1 and 12- are or" the polarized type, in order that they may respond readily to the comparatively faint currents in the track coils. Each relay has a pivoted armature 13 carrying a contact finger 14 and provided with a coil connected in circuit with one of the track coils. The field coil 15 of the relay is constantly energized, being connected with teed wires 16 and 17 which are energized by a transformer 20 fed by the transmission wires e and 5. The currents in'the field coils and the armature coils o1 the track relaysagree substan tiallyin phase, so that the armatures tend normally to rotate in a direction to keep the contact fingers in engagement with fixed contacts connected in circuit with the line wires 18 and22. g

The local signal circuits are controlled directly at each station by a line relay 25. The line relayis also of the polarized type, but in addition to the contact finger 26 mounted on the armature and responsive to changes in polarity, it has a contact finger .27 actuated by a neutral armature. In the line relay it is the armature which is constantly energized, by connection of its coil with teed wires 16 and 17, while the field Thus,

agreeing in phase with the current in the armature both contact fingers are held in engagement with the fixed contacts, while upon a reversal of phase in the line circuit and the field coil the polarized contact finger 26 drops, the neutral contact finger 27 remaining up, and upon an interruption of the line circuit, the field being deenergized, both contact fingers drop and open circuit.

The signals areof the normal-safety type. They have a normal bias to danger position, but are normally held clear by electric apparatus, which may be of any usual or suitable construction. When either signal circuit is broken, however, thecorresponding semaphore rises to danger position.

The home signal 23 is controlled by the neutral contact finger 27, the current passing, from teed wire 16, through wire 33, contact finger27, fixed contact and wire 34,

current passing, from teed wire 16, through wire 33, contact finger 2U, fixed contact and wire 36, and signal 2 1-, and thence by wire 37, through a circuit breaker 38, to return wire 35 and feed wire 17.

Circuit breaker 38 is actuated by mechanical connection with home semaphore 23, being moved to open-circuit position when the semaphore rises. This prevents the possibility of the distant signal remaining at clear when the home signal is at dane ger. The circuit breaker does not affect the normal operation of the signals, but guards against certain unusual contingencies, such as the breakage o1 the mechanical connections between the home semaphore and its electric actuating mechanism.

The direction, or phase-relation, of the current in the line circuit with respect to that in the field coils of the line relay 25 is controlled by a pole-changing switch 29 mechanically connected with the home sema phore so that the contact-fingers ot the switch are raised and lowered with the semaphore.

The normal line circuit may now be traced. Starting at feed wire 16, station A, it passes through wire 31 to the lower finger of pole-changing switch 29, through wire 32 to line wire 22 and station B, through wire 21 and wire 19, to the contact finger of track relay 12 which is normally raised as above described, thence, through the fixed contact and wire 28 to the field coil of line relay 25 thence, through line wire 18, to the fixed contact and contact finger of track relay 11, also normally raised, thence, through wire 30, to the upper finger of switch 29, and back, through return wire 35, to feed wire 17.

The trains operate automatically to set the signals in the rear at danger, both home and distant signals being set at the entrance end of the block occupied by the train, while the distant signal alone is set at the entrance to the next block in the rear. To illustrate this action, suppose a train occupies some portion of the block to the west of A. Owing to the presence of the train the line circuit through the field coil of line relay 25 is broken, either by track relay 12 or by the track relay 11 at the other end of the block (not shown) and line relay 25 is thus deenergized, allowing both contact fingers 26 and 27 to fall. Both signal circuits are thus opened, and both home signal 23 and distant signal 2 1 rise to danger position.

The distant signal 24 is set in consequence of the above-described movement of home signal 23 Pole-changing switch 29 being raised, the phase of the current in line cirif cuit A B is reversed. This reversal results in polarized contact finger 26 of line relay 25 falling so as to open the circuit of distant signal 24?, which thereupon rises to danger. Neutral contact finger 27 remains up, however, so that home signal 23 is not afiected.

The signal-controlling apparatus for the west-bound track is similar to that for the east-bound track and need not be separately described. An important feature of the invention, however, consists in the elimination of one line wire by using the line wire 22 in the line circuits of both tracks. This wire is connected with track relay 12 of the eastbound track by wire 21, and with the corresponding pole-changing switch by wires 21 and 4-1, and thus the line circuit of the east bound track comprises line wires 39 and 22, while the line circuit of the west bound. track comprises wires 18 and 22.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the economy in apparatus and current effected by using the transformer 20 as the common source for energizing all the relays, as well as the signal and line clrcuits,

at the signal station, whether those for one track, or, as shown in the diagram, those for both tracks.

The arrangement of the track coil illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 is designed to increase the inductive effect of the rails upon the coil by forming a closed magnetic circuit about the rails and the coil. The wires 4-2 of the coil lie closely against the inside of the web 01 the rail 48. Angle plates 44 and 45 bear at their upper ends against the head of the rail, and the bases of the angle plates are in contact with yoke plates 46 passing under the rail. Closed magnetic circuits are thus formed through plates 44, the head of the rail, plates 45, and plates 46, and these circuits inclose the track coil and also the rail, with the exception of the rail head. Discontinuous plates are used, as shown in Fig. 2, in place of continuous strips, in order to confine the currents entirely to the rail and, so far as possible, within the magnetic circuits. The plates are secured in place by clamps 47 connected by bolts 4:8.

It will be noted that the track circuit which supplies current to each relay comprises comparatively short rail portion, shown in the drawing as co-extensive with the track coil employed in this specific embodiment of my invention, and which must be entirely out off from the supply transformer by the car wheels in order to wholly deprive the relay of current. Obviously, therefore, it is desirable to make these comparatively short rail portions as short as possible in order to fix the efi'ective termini of the adjacent signaling blocks or track circuits within the smallest possible limits, and reduce to a minimum the unprotected sections short portions of the track rails. The effect of this improvement of the magnetic circuits about the said short portions of the rails 1s to produce an increase of counter electromotive force and impedance in the said portions, and to make it possible to obtain greater energy in any relay or equivalent device the connections of which are coorganized with one of said comparatively short portions of the track, as aforesaid, in such manner that the said track portion must be entirely out out of circuit by the car wheels in order that the relay may be wholly deprived of current. For a given energy delivered to the track and a given energy re quired by the relay, this improvement in the magnetic circuits enables me to attain a substantial reduction in the lengths of said comparatively short portions of the track rails or track circuits; and vice versa, with any given lengths of said portions of the track rails, this improvement in the magnetic circuits enables me to attain a substantial re duction in the amount of energy supplied to the track, or enables me to employ a much less sensitive relay.

Although have described my invention in its application to a signal system employing semaphore signals it will be apparent that it applicable to signals or traflic controlling devices of other kinds, and that certain features of the invention are not limited to use in connection with signal systems operating on the normal-safety plan. In general, various modifications may be made in the embodiment of my invention herein decuit to effect the control of the corresponding signal.

2. A block signal system comprising, in

combination with a double track, a signal for each track, normally-closed line circuits controlling said signals and having one wire in common, means for energizing the line circuits with a periodic current, and means for changing the phase ofthe current in either line circuit to effect the control of the corresponding signal.

8. A block signal system comprising, in

combination with a double track, a signal I for each track normally at safety, normallyclosed line'circuits controlling said signals and having a wire in common, means for energizing the line circuits with a periodic and distant signals no anally clear, a normally-closed line circuit tor controlling the si nals, means for energizing the line circuit with a periodic current, both signals bein ada )ted to assume the dan er indit) b cation when the line circuit is interrupted and the distant signal line being responsive to change of phase of the current in the line circuitto assume the danger indication,

and means for interrupting the line circuit to set both the home and distant signals in unison at danger and for changing the phase of the current in the line circuit to set the distant signal alone at danger.

5. A block signal system comprising home and distant signals, a line circuit, a line relay in the line circuit provided with a polarized circuit controller and an unpolarized circuit controller for selectively controlling the circuits of the distant and home signals respectively, means for energizing the line circuit and the line relay with a periodic current, and means for interrupting the line circuit to set both tne home and distant signals in unison at danger and for changing the phase of the current in the line circuit to set the distant signal alone at danger.

6. A block signal system comprising home and distant signals, a line circuit, a line relay in the line circuit provided with a polarized circuit con roller and an unpolarized circuit controller for controlling the circuits of the home and distant signals selectively, means for energizing the line circuit and the line relay with a periodic current, and means for changing thephase of the current to actuate the polarized circuit controller without aii'ecting the unpolarized circuit controller.

7. A block si nal system comprising, in combination with two tracks, line circuits for both tracks having a wire in common, home and distant signals for each track selectively responsive to a change of phase of the current, means for energizing the line circuits with periodic currents, and means for changing the phase of the currents to control the ionic and distant signals selectively.

8. A block signal system comprising, in combination with two tracks, line circuits for both tracks having a wire in common and normally closed, home and distant signals, normally clear, for each track, the signals being selectively responsive to a change of phase of the current of their respective tracks means for ener izin the line 011' a I a cuits with periodic currents, and means for changing the phase of such currents to control the home and distant signals selectively.

9. A block signal system comprising signals, a track having continuously-bonded rails and cross bonds at the ends of the blocks forming track circuits, means for energizing the track circuits with a periodic current, inductive track coils, track relays controlled thereby, a line circuit controlled by the track relays, means for energizing the line circuit with a periodic current, and means for changing the phase of said current to effect the control of the signals.

10. A block signal system comprising signal stations, line and track relays at each station, and means for energizing the relays comprising a single transformer at each station connected in multiple with the relays and energizing them constantly with a periodic current.

11. A block signal system comprising signal stations, relays and local signal circuits at each station, a line circuit extending from each station to the station next in rear and controllable by the apparatus of the advance sation and arranged in control of the apparatus of the rear station, and a single transformer at each station connected with said relays and circuits in multiple with one another to energize them constantly with a periodic current.

12. A block signal system comprising, in combination with a double track, signal stations, polarized relays at each station for controlling the signals of both tracks, and a single transformer at each station connected in multiple with said relays and energizing them constantly with a periodic current.

13. A signal system comprising a track circuit energized with a periodic current, a portion of a rail of the track circuit being provided with an improved magnetic circuit, and signal-controlling apparatus arranged in inductive relation to said portion of the track circuit and inductively controlled by such current.

14. A signal system comprising a track circuit energized with a periodic current, means applied to portions of both rails of the track circuit to improve the magnetic circuits about such rail portions and augment the inductive eifect oi the track-circuit current therein, and signal-controlling apparatus arranged in inductive relation to said rail portions and inductively controlled by such current.

15. A signal system comprising a trackcircuit energized with a periodic current, signal-controlling apparatus, and a coil connected with such apparatus and located in inductive proximity to a portion of a rail of the track circuit, such portion of the rail having an improved magnetic circuit to increase the inductive efiect upon said coil.

16. A block signal system comprising track circuits energized with periodic currents, the rails of the track circuits having improved magnetic circuits near the ends of the blocks to augment the inductive ef fect of the track-circuit currents therein, and signal-controlling apparatus arranged in inductive relation to said magnetic circuits and thereby controlled by such currents.

17. A block signal system comprising track circuits energized with periodic currents, means applied to portions of the rails of the track circuits adjacent to the ends of the blocks to improve the magnetic circuits about such portions and augment the inductive effect of the track-circuit currents therein, and signal-controlling apparatus arranged in inductive'relation to the improved magnetic circuits and thereby controlled by such currents.

18. A signal system comprising a track circuit including the two track rails and a cross-conductor and energized with a periodic current, a portion of the track rails adjacent to said cross-conductor having an improved magnetic circuit to augment the inductive effect of the current therein, and signal-controlling apparatus arranged in inductive relation to said improved magnetic circuit and thereby controlled by such current.

19. A block signal system comprising a continuously-conductive track having crossbonds at the ends of the blocks and constituting track circuits demarcated by such cross-bonds, coils in inductive proximity to the track rails near the ends of the blocks, signal-controlling apparatus'connected with said coils, and means applied to the rails near the ends of the blocks to improve their magnetic circuits and increase their induc tive effect on said coils.

20. A signal system comprising conductive track rails, conductors located in inductive relation with the rails, and bodies of magnetic material partly surrounding the rails and said conductors to improve their mag netic circuits and increasethe inductive effect between. them.

21. A signal system comprising a conductive track rail, and bodies of magnetic material surrounding said rail with the eX- ception of its head to improve the magnetic circuit about the rail.

22. A signal system comprising a conductive track rail, and adjacent electrically-discontinuous bodies of iron applied to the side of the rail and bridging the head and the base thereof to improve the magnetic circuit about the rail.

23. A signal system comprising a conductive track rail, an inductive conductor located at one side of the rail and between the head and the base thereof, and a plate of magnetic material connecting the head and the base of the rail and inclosing the conductor.

24. A continuous-rail block signaling system comprising track rails having portions of increased impedance, and means for utilizing such increased impedance.

25. A continuous-rail block signaling system comprising track rails having portions thereof near the ends of the blocks of increased impedance, and means for utilizing such increased. impedance.

26. In a block signaling system, track rails which are electrically continuous for all currents, said rails having portions of increased impedance, conductors connecting said rails at those portions thereof which are of increased impedance, and means for utilizing such increased impedance.

27. In a block signaling system, track rails having portions thereof at and adjacent to the block limits reinforced to increase their impedance, and means for utilizing such increased impedance.

28. In a block signaling system, electrically continuous track rails having portions thereof at and adjacent to the block limits reinforced by magnetic material between their heads and bases, and passing beneath their bases.

29. A railway signaling system comprising a signal, a relay in control of the signal, a track circuit including the track rails, a

source of periodic signal-controlling current therefor, an induction member operatively connected to the relay and disposed in inductive relation to a definite limited portion of the rails and adapted to receive induced currents therefrom and control the relay, and i an improved magnetic circuit surrounding said definite limited portion of the rails and comprising material of relatively high magnetic permeability disposed proximity to said definite limited portion of the rails.

30. In a continuous rail block-signaling system, means for increasing the impedance of portions of the track rails, consisting of a body of iron inclosing the web andbase of the rail, substantially as-described.

81. In a continuous rail block-signaling system, means for increasing the impedance of portions of the track rails, consisting of a body of iron inclosing the web and base of the rail and extending upwardly at one side of the head, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof it affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE W. COLEMAN. Witnesses:

BERNARD Gownn,

WM. AsrrLEY KELLY.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. U. 

